Just something I came up with. I hope you like it! I don't know if it's gonna be more than this. I used the conversation from the Swanthief sneak peek for episode 2x21, but the rest is just based on my imagination. Just let me know what you think. And I'm working on my other fic

Neal stood in front of the apartment with the keychain in his hand. He decided to give it back to Emma. It didn't belong with him, it was hers. He knocked on the door.

'I'll take it.' He heard Emma say to her parents. A moment later the door was swung open by the beautiful blond.

'Hey Emma.' He smiled carefully.

'Henry is still at school. You're his father, you should know that.' She was still pushing him away. It was never about them, always about Henry.

'I'm not here for Henry.'

Emma let out a deep sigh. 'What is it Neal? More people coming into town? Maybe we should start a souvenir shop?'

The blond hesitated for a moment, but then stepped aside so he could enter the apartment. In the apartment he saw Emma's parents sitting at the table. Prince Charming and Snow White. He understood why Henry adored his grandparents; who wouldn't want the two most famous fairy tale characters as their grandparents? It was a young boy's dream come true.

'Neal, how are you?' Snow White, Mary Margaret, or.. Whatever asked him. He thought it was best to call her Mary Margaret, since that was the name Emma used for her mother.

'I'm fine, thank you-' He hesitated. '-Mary Margaret.'

She gave him a quick nod. 'You want something to drink?' She asked as she stood up and walked to the kitchen. Her husband hadn't said a thing since Neal had entered the apartment.

'No, thank you. I just wanted to talk with Emma real quick.'

Emma walked over to the stairs. 'Neal.' She gave him a sign that said he should follow her. He followed her up the stairs and they ended up in her bedroom.

'What is it?' She stood in the room with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She was so not going to make this easy on him.

'I want to give you this.' His held up his hand. 'It doesn't belong to me.' The moment she saw the familiar keychain, her eyes hardened.

'I don't want it Neal. I gave it back to you.'

'Please, Emma, just take it back.' He grinned. 'I stole it for you, remember.' When his words reached her he saw a quick smile appear on her face. They were not completely broken. There was this small thread holding them together. And that thread was the fact that they had actually been really happy all those years ago.

The smile on Emma's face faded pretty quick and the walls were back up at full force.

'What are you really doing here, Neal?'

'I wanted to give you back the keychain.' He knew he was avoiding the question. This was not what she wanted to hear.

'I didn't mean that Neal. You know that.' She looked down, taking in a deep breath. 'Why did you come to the apartment? I don't think you just came here for that stupid keychain.'

He walked over to her. He raised his hand to reach for hers, but pulled back before he touched her. 'I just-' He wanted to take away all the pain and hurt he had caused. Let her know that she had been in his mind for all these years. Even Tamara couldn't make him forget her. But if he would say that, she would just get angry and bringing up Tamara would hurt her even more. 'I just want to make things right.' This was the best he could do without upsetting her.

'We're perfectly fine, Neal.' Great, now she was also in denial.

'Em, come on. You know we're not. We haven't had a real change to actually talk since you knocked me down in Manhattan. Since then we have been in some crazy rollercoaster ride.'

She didn't answer him.

Okay, he would have to do all the talking then. 'I'm sorry. I don't know what else I can say to ease the pain.'

Still she didn't say a word. Her eyes were locked at the ground, while her arms were crossed in front of her chest.

'August send me a postcard.' He hesitated. 'When you broke the curse, he send me a postcard.'

'Great.' She shook her head in disbelieve. 'So.. You didn't think of coming to Storybrooke yourself after I broke the curse.' She didn't look him in the eyes, but at least there was a response.

'I wanted to look for you.. But I was afraid.'

Emma looked up to him. 'Of what?'

Okay, he was just going to tell her. 'That you would never forgive me.. Cause I never forgave myself.' He took a deep breath. 'There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I don't regret having left you.'

Her head was lifted, but she was looking at a point behind him, probably avoiding his eyes. Why did it have to be so god damn difficult to even talk!

'A coward.. Just like your father, huh?'

That was just mean. She knew he didn't want to be like his father, at all. 'That is not true, Emma. I'm nothing like him and you know that.'

'Don't be so sure of that. The first time you walked away and when you're given a second chance you didn't take it.'

'Didn't you hear anything I just said? I regret leaving you, and you have been in my thoughts every single day.'

'But apparently that wasn't enough to make you go to Storybrooke after receiving the postcard.'

Damn it. 'Be honest. Would you have forgiven me? No. You still don't.'

'Maybe it would have made a difference. If you had come looking for me. If you had told me the truth about who you actually are. If you had told me why the hell you left me.'

'If, if, if.. You don't know what would have happened Emma.' He raised his voice.

'No, but I wish I did!' She yelled back at him.

'I'm trying here, Emma. Trying to apologise for what I did and instead of constantly getting angry at me and walking away, you could try to accept the apology.'

'Is the fact that you were afraid that I wouldn't forgive you the only reason you didn't come to Storybrooke?'

'Where are you going with this Emma?'

'Maybe Tamara has something to do with this..'

There we go again.. He sighed. 'Can't you just leave her out of this conversation?'

'Why can't you trust me on this one. She has a hidden agenda, but you're just too stupid to see it.'

'Tamara wouldn't hurt me or anyone else. Why won't you believe me?'

'I stopped believing you a long time ago.'

Neal rubbed his face. Having a conversation with Emma was so frustrating. 'I met Tamara the day August told me he was going to Storybrooke to help you break the curse. It was just like Tamara told you. Nothing special about it.'

'So Tamara is one of the reasons you didn't come to Storybrooke.'

'Please, Emma, stop being the jealous ex!' He let out a frustrated sigh.

'I'm not jealous! I'm just trying to protect you!' Emma started yelling again.

'I don't need protection from you!'

'Apparently you do! And since you don't protect our son, I have to.'

'Protect our son! You teach him how to break an entry, how to spy on people! You're the sheriff for God's sake!'

'I dare you to follow her when she's going out on her own.'

'I'm not going to spy on my fiancé Emma! That's ridiculous!'

'You're just afraid that I might be right about her!'

Neal shook his head. 'I'm not gonna argue with you about Tamara.'

'Of course.' It was so easy to see when Emma put her walls back up. At least it was for him.

He played with the keychain. 'We're doing this because I don't want you to hate me.'

Emma looked him straight in the eye. 'I could never hate you Neal. Never.'

Her voice was so soft, that he wasn't sure if he heard it right. 'You don't hate me?'

'No, I couldn't Neal.'

She sounded so vulnerable and … Something else. Without thinking he took her in his arms. 'We're pretty messed up, huh?'

She chuckled. 'Yeah..' Emma rested her head on his shoulder.

Defeated. That's what Emma had sounded like. Like she had given up fighting her feelings. But why had he wanted her to give up, so desperately? He was with Tamara. He should not want Emma so much.. Maybe his father had been right. Neal held her close and for a few minutes none of them moved or talked. He pressed his lips on the top of her head, desperately holding on to this moment. It was so familiar and he had missed her so much. It was Emma who broke the spell.

'You should go, Neal. I'm sure Tamara is waiting for you to return.' She took a step back with a polite smile on her face.

'What about us?' He already missed her warmth and smell.

'You need to give me some time Neal. I want to fix this, I do, but it's gonna take some time.'

'Then I'll give you that.'

'Thank you, Neal.' She opened the door of the bedroom. 'And I don't forgive you yet, but I'm willing to give you another chance..' Emma gave him a quick smile.

Neal felt relieved. She gave him another opportunity, an opportunity to do it right this time. But right how? He was engaged.. That was something he had to think about.

They went downstairs. Emma opened the door and he said a quick goodbye to Mary Margaret and David, who were sitting at the table. Before walking out the door, he turned around a gave Emma kiss on the cheek. 'Thank you.' And he took her right hand and put the necklace in it. 'It's yours.'

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